Categories: Entertainment

Idris Elba Did Not Want To Leave ‘The Wire’

And we sure didn't want him to see him go.

HBO’s breakthrough series The Wire celebrated its 20th anniversary, and the creator, David Simon, revealed some memorable moments.

Specifically, Simon recalled how Idris Elba was unhappy about being written off the show. The Baltimore-based show ran for five seasons, making its debut in 2002. Idris played Stringer Bell, a drug lord and second-in-command to Avon Barksdale (Wood Harris).

Stringer ended up controlling the Barksdale Organization in the third season but was murdered towards the end of the season.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Simon revealed that Elba was written off “when people were really starting to discover what a leading man he was. When he read the script … he was like, ‘Man, I can’t believe I’m leaving the show.’ Like, he was not happy.”

He continued, “And I remember talking with him over the script and saying, ‘Idris, you’re going to have movie roles. You’re going to be an A-lister. People are going to get a load of this death; they’re going to acquire this story arc in retrospect — this is your calling card, man.”

He recalled adding, “‘You’re going to do fine.'”

Related Story: Idris Elba Puts Rumors To Rest and Says He Won’t Be The Next James Bond

Simon also said there were not enough roles for Black actors and actresses in Hollywood during this time.

“There just wasn’t enough content being generated. That’s been ameliorated somewhat by the changes in the industry and also by the weight of content, by how much we’re doing,” Simon said.

Idris also became a household name specifically for his role as John Luther in the BBC TV television show Luther.

He is a four-time nominee for a Golden Globe Award, winning one, and has been nominated six times for a Primetime Emmy Award.

Check out some of Elba’s best lines as Stringer Bell below:

Share
Published by
Aziah Kamari

Recent Posts

Serena Williams Reigns As Latest Awardee Of Spain’s Princess Of Asturias Prize For Sports

The Queen of tennis has been awarded Spain's Princess of Asturias Prize for Sports. Read More

2 months ago

Megan Thee Stallion Launches ‘Hot Girl Summer’ Swimwear For All Hotties

The singer’s collection boasts inclusive styles: bikinis, full coverage and coverups. All pieces are under… Read More

2 months ago

Kathryn Finney Shares Career Playbook After Funding 2,500+ Black Women

Genius Guild founder Kathryn Finney built a successful career by starting with herself and supporting… Read More

2 months ago